Bicycle.



ivo. 730,194.

Nrrn STATES@ Patented June 2, 1903.

A'rnNi Fries.

GEORGE SEYFANG, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGrNORV TO ARTHUR W. UNDERWOOD, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 730,194, dated J une 2, 1903. Applicants ne@ Agustzfi, 1895. saai No. 560,357. A nro maar To a/ZZ whom z5 may concern: Be it known that I, GEORGE SEYFANG,a citi.-

zen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, j in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and; useful Im.-y provements in Bicycles, (forwhich I have ob`- Y tained Canadian Patent NofOQ, datedOctober 2l, 1895;) and I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention,

taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, forms a full, clear, and eX- act specification, which will enable others skilled in the art to'which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to .improvements in crank-hangers for cycles of that class embracing a hanger sleeve or tube, a crankshaft, and a crank-arm permanently attached to or made in one piece or integral withfthe crank-shaft and in which the. crank-shaft vis supported in the hanger sleeve or tuberby a bearing, one of the annular parts or bearing members of which is removable over the crank-arm to enable the crank-shaft tol be taken out of and inserted in the hanger sleeve or tube. A one-piece crank-shaft or crankaxle having a permanently-attached armA or arms has heretofore been used in connection with a hanger sleeve or tube provided with a,

parts the axle and the attached or integral crank-arm thereon may beV threaded endwise through the sleeve. This construction affords the generalfadvantageof making the integral axle and crank-arm Vcapableof insertion in and removal from the hanger sleeve or tube Without the presence in the hanger sleevev or tube of any longitudinal slot or opening,

5o the employment of which is objectionable because tending to weaken the said sleeve or tube.

My invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Said drawings illustrate one form in which the general features of my invention may be embodied in practice,- and it is to be understood that the details and specific features of construction'herein shown and hereinafter described are merely illustrative and are not essential parts of my invention, the scope of which is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure lis a plan view of my improved crank-hanger. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan View. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the crank-hanger, drawn on an enlarged scale.

. Likeparts are designated by corresponding ,letters'of reference in all of the gures of the drawings. j

In thedrawings, A indicates a cylindrical barrel, sleeve, or tube having both of its ends internally screw-threaded, as indicated at a, toreceive casings or bearing-cups B B', which constitute the outer annular members of an-` tifriction-bearing's.- As preferably constructed the screws.- threads a are oppositely disposed, AOne. being a right-hand and the other a left-haudscrew-thread. Said casings or cups are preferably provided with flanges b, which bear against the ends of the sleeve and are milled on their edges. Said casings or cups are also'` provided with central apertures f f for thelpassage of the crank-shaft C. The inner or bearing faces of these casings or cups are made concave, as shown at b', to form, in conjunction with thecones E E', having concave peripheries e, raceways' for balls F, these parts constituting so-called ball-bearings. The casings or bearing members, as well as thecones, will vpreferably be `made from toolsteel, properly harde'nedto-lessen wear.

C indicates the crank-shaft,whichis formed integral with the pedal-cranks (T02, which latter project in opposite directionslfrom the shaft in the usual manner. Said crankshaft has near its left hand a swell or enlargement c', upon which the cone E is seated, and with a collar c, against which the said cone E bears.

IOO

At its right-hand end said shaft C has another swell or enlargement c, which receives the cone E. Said cone E fits upon said enlargement c" with a snug it, but not so tightly as to prevent the cone being moved upon said enlargement for the purpose of adjustment. An adjusting-nut or collar is tted upon a screw-threaded portion g of said enlargement c" for moving said cone upon said enlargement when adjustment of the ball-bearings becomes desirable or necessary. 'Upon the enlargement c" is furthermore secured the spider of the sprocket-wheel, the same consisting of a hub D and spokes D D', said hub being fastened upon the shaft by a key and lock-nut Dl or in any other approved manner.

In the collar or adjusting-nut G there is inserted a set-screw H, having a collar h', and above this collar a square section h, while in the bore for the set-screw is placed a plug CZ, upon which the set-screw bears to avoid injury to said screw-thread g.

In the barrel or tube A there is provided an aperture ct",throu gh which a socket-wrench may be passed to manipulate the set-screw H, which latter is prevented from being entirely withdrawn from its nut by the collar 7L coming in contact with the inner periphery of a dust-cylinder I, placed upon shoulders b on the casings B B', Fig. 3, and thereby prevented from dropping into the barrel or tube.

On the barrel or tube A there are provided bosses j j, adapted to receive or enter the frame-tubes J J, which extend to the axle of the rear wheel, and also a boss 7o for the seat-post tube K and another boss Z for the forwardframe-tubeL. Said frame-tubeswill be brazed to the bosses or otherwise secured thereto in any usual or approved manner.

The central openingj'l of the casing or external bearing member B is made large enough for the passage through it of the largest portion of the crank-shaft, so that in assembling the parts after the sprocket-wheel has been applied to or attached to the shaft said casing or bearing member B may be slipped over the crank-arm C and over the crank-shaft C until it reaches a point adjacent to the sprocket-wheel, and the inner bearing member or cone E may be then applied to the enlargement. The crank-shaft may then be inserted within the hanger barrel or tube by passing the crank-arm G endwise through the same and carrying the bend at the junction of the crank-arm with the crank-shaft through said sleeve. The other or second bearing-cone E may then be slipped over the crank-arm and applied to its seat, the external bearing members or casing B also slipped over the crank-arm, and both external casings B B then screwed into their places in the ends of the hanger-sleeve. The parts of the bearings may then be adjusted with respect to each other. In the particular construction shown, in which the special adjusting device described is employed, the final adjustment of the parts of the ball-bear ings will be made by operating the adjustingnut G in the manner hereinbefore referred to.

By the provision in connection with a crank shaft or axle and a crank-arm permanently attached to or made integral therewith of a hanger sleeve or tube made so short in length and large in diameter as to pass over the bend or angle at the junction of the crank-arm with the axle, as described, I obtain many advantages over other prior constructions in crank-hangers, the principal ones being those of simplicity, cheapness, strength, and durability. It being possible by this construction to form the crank-shaft and pedal-cranks in one piece or forging, the same is made more substantial and less liable to get out of order than is possible in the case of a crank axle or shaft having the pedal-cranks detachably secured thereto or having a detachable joint between the crank-arms for the purpose of enabling the crank-shaft to be removed from the hanger-sleeve. Moreover, the barrel or tube being a continuous cylindric or tubular shell Without any slot therein aords a much stronger frame than can be obtained in a construction in which the sleeve or tube is provided with a slot for the insertion of the crank-axle into said tube, it being obvious that inasmuch as said tube forms the connection between the frame members or tubes which are attached to said hanger sleeve or tube if the tube be provided with a slot the connection of said frame members with each other is necessarily greatly weakened and the frame rendered less strong and reliable. Moreover, the construction described has the further advantage of simplifying and cheapening the process of manufacturing the bicycle, for the reason that in the use of a slotted hanger-tube the latter becomes distorted in the process of brazing the tubes thereto, and it becomes necessary in practice to finish and thread the tube after it is secured in the frame, whereas in the use of a non-slotted tube, as proposed, the tube may be screwthreaded and nished and the bearing members fitted thereto before it is secured in the frame, whereby the construction thereof is not only facilitated, but it becomes possible to manufacture the hangerlsleeve with its bearings and crank-axle complete and sell the same as an article of commerce to be used by small makers in the construction of bicycles or the like.

In order to make the hanger sleeve or tube as small in diameter as possible, I have given that portion of the pedal-crank C adjoining the enlargement c a curvature, or, iu other words, I join the crank-arm to the axle by a curve, which will allow the connected axle and crank-arm to pass through a smaller barrel than if a sharp angle or angular connection were employed. This construction is not, however, essential, inasmuch as the parts that form the junction of the axle with the IIC crank-arm may be otherwise constructed without making it necessary toprovide an unduly enlarged hanger sleeve or tube.

I have described in this' specification means for adjusting the ball-bearings and specific combinations of parts and details of construction which constitute the subject-matter of a divisional application, Serial No.

575,272, which I have prepared and filed on the 13th day of January, 1896, and I do not, therefore, claim such specific devices or combinations in this present application.

I claim as my 'inventionl. The combination with a continuous crank-hanger tube, of acrank-shaft having integral crank-arms, and antifriction-bearings sustaining said crank-shaft in said tube,

said tube being so large in diameter and short in length that the shaft and one of its integral arms may be inserted endwise through said tube.

2. The combination with a continuous crank-hanger tube, of a crank-shaft and integral crank -arm, said crank -shaft being mounted in said tube and said tube being so large in diameter and short in length that the integral shaft and arm may be inserted endwisetbrough said-tube. Y

3.- The combination Withacyole-frame provided with atransverse continuous `crankhanger tube, of a crank-shaft and integral crank-arm, and antifriction-bearings sustain ing said crank-shaft in said tube, said tube being so large in diameter and short in length that the integralshaftand arm may be inserted endwise through said tube. y i In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto set myhand in the presence of tWo subscribing witnesses.

. GEORGE SE'YFANG.

Attest:

CENTIE S.STARK, JULIAN E. E. STARK. 

